Electric spreading device for a parasol

ABSTRACT

An electric spreading device for a parasol includes an inner tube, an outer tube, a handle and an electric motor. The inner tube has an upper end extending through a lower sleeve of a lower ring and fixed with an upper sleeve of an upper ring, with a screw having a center threaded hole fixed in a lower end of the inner tube. The outer tube fits around the inner tube to enable the inner tube to move up and down, having its upper end fixed with the lower sleeve and its lower end connected with the handle. The motor is arranged in the handle, having a threaded rod to engage the center threaded hole of the screw of the inner tube. Then the motor with the threaded rod rotates relative to the screw so that the inner tube with the screw can be moved up and down for spreading or collapsing the canopy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an electric spreading device for a parasol, particularly to one electrically spreading or collapsing an umbrella canopy for using a parasol with convenience.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Conventional parasols are generally handled manually for spreading and collapsing canopies, for pushing a lower ring up to the spread condition and pushing the lower ring down to the collapsed condition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention has been devised to offer an electric spreading device for a parasol, for saving manual handling of a parasol in spreading or collapsing the canopy with convenience.

The feature of the invention is an inner tube having its upper end extending through a lower sleeve of a lower ring and fixed with an upper sleeve of an upper ring and having a screw with a center threaded hole. Further, an outer tube fits around the inner tube to enable the inner tube move up and down, having its upper end fixed with the lower sleeve of the lower ring, and a handle is connected with a lower end of the outer tube. An electric motor is arranged in the handle, having a threaded rod engaging the center threaded hole of the screw of the inner tube. The motor with the threaded rod rotates relative to the screw, so the inner tube and the lower ring are moved up and down for spreading or collapsing the canopy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electric spreading device for a parasol in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the electric spreading device for a parasol in the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the electric spreading device or a parasol in the spread condition in the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the electric spreading device for a parasol in the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the electric spreading device for a parasol in a half-spread condition in the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the electric spreading device for a parasol in the collapsed condition in the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a magnified view of the part marked (A) in FIG. 4; and,

FIG. 8 is a magnified view of the part marked (B) in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of an electric spreading device for a parasol in the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a canopy 10, an upper ring 11, a lower ring 12, a plurality of ribs 13, a plurality of spreaders 14, an upper sleeve 110, a lower sleeve 120, an inner tube 20, an outer tube 30, a handle 40, an electric motor 50, and a threaded rod 51.

The ribs 13 have their upper ends pivotally connected with the upper ring 13 in a radial condition, and their lower ends attached with a lower edge of the canopy 10 so as to support the canopy 10 when it is spread.

The spreaders 14 have their upper ends respectively pivotally connected with an upper portion of each rib 13, and their lower ends pivotally connected with the lower ring 12.

The inner tube 20 has its upper end fitting through the lower sleeve 120 and the lower ring 12 and fixed with the upper sleeve 110 as shown in FIG. 8, and an inner screw 21 with a center threaded hole fixed in its lower end.

The outer tube 30 fits around the inner tube 20 to enable the inner tube 20 move up and down, having its upper end fixed with the lower end of the lower sleeve 120 of the lower ring 12 as shown in FIG. 7, and a combining disc member 31 fixed at the lower end.

The handle 40 has its upper combining disc member 41 fixed with the combining disc member 31, for being held manually by a user.

The electric motor 50 possible to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise is fixed in an interior of the handle 40, provided with an elongate treaded rod 51 extending in the inner tube 20 and engaging the inner threaded hole of the screw 21. The motor 50 is connected with a switch (not shown) and a battery (not shown) for turning on and off.

In using after the electric spreading device is assembled together in an umbrella, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the following operation is to be carried out.

1. When the canopy 10 is to be spread from the collapsed condition shown in FIG. 6, the motor 50 with the threaded rod 51 is started to rotate relative to the screw 21 in the inner tube 20 to force the inner tube 20 together with the upper ring 11 shift downward from the preset uppermost position shown in FIG. 6 to the preset lowest position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to spread the canopy 10.

2. When the canopy 10 is in the spread condition and is wanted to be reduced in its spread angle, the motor 50 with the threaded rod 51 is rotated reversely relative to the screw 21, as shown in FIG. 5, and the inner tube 20 and the upper ring 11 are moved up together to a needed position, and then the motor 50 with the threaded rod 51 is stopped to let the inner tube 20 with the upper ring 11 also stopped at that needed not-fully-spread position, with the canopy 10 kept at that angle.

3. When the canopy 10 is to be collapsed from the spread condition, the motor 50 with the threaded rod 51 is controlled to rotate relative to the screw 21 to let the inner tube 20 with the lower ring 11 move up to the preset uppermost position, as shown in FIG. 6. Then the canopy 10 is collapsed completely.

In general, the electric spreading device for a parasol in the invention can spread the canopy 10 to a completely fully opened condition or half opened or opened to any other needed angle, very convenient and saving manual handling.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. An electric spreading device for a parasol comprising: A canopy: An upper ring and a lower ring spaced apart, said upper ring connected pivotally with upper ends of ribs in a radial condition, said lower ring pivotally connected with lower ends of spreaders in a radial condition, an upper sleeve and a lower sleeve provided between said upper ring and said lower ring in the same axis: An inner tube having its upper end extending through said lower sleeve of said lower ring and then fixed with said upper sleeve, and a screw fixed in a lower end and having a center threaded hole: An outer tube fitting around said inner tube to enable said inner tube to move up and down relative to said outer tube, having its upper end fixed with said lower sleeve of said lower ring: An electric motor fixed in a lower portion of said outer tube, having a threaded rod engaging the center threaded hole of said screw in said inner tube: Said threaded rod rotating relative to said screw in said inner tube so that said inner tube with said screw may be moved up and down in case said motor is powered to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, said inner tube and said lower ring moving up and down together relative to said outer tube being immovable so that said spreaders and said ribs are spread or collapsed to spread or collapse said canopy.
 2. The electric spreading device for an umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer tube has its lower end connected with a handle and said motor is arranged in said handle. 